Essential Questions: Why is it difficult to go against popular opinion? How does fear affect decision making? When should you speak up?

Think about a situation in which everyone you were with—friends, family members, classmates, teammates, etc.—wanted to do something that you didn’t want to do. Maybe everyone else wanted to play a certain game, watch a certain movie, or order a certain food. Did you speak up, or just go along with what everyone else wanted? In your journal, describe the situation and explain how you felt.

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: clamor, exemplary, lavish, sublime, vanity. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Invite a volunteer to read aloud the As You Read box on page 25 or at the top of the digital story page.

Assign parts and read the play aloud as a class.

Divide students into groups to discuss the following Discussion Questions, which are also located in the Resources tab.

1. The Emperor and the Lord Chancellor are introduced in Scene 1. What can you tell about each of these characters from this first scene? (character, inference) You can tell that the Emperor cares a lot about his appearance. He loves to dress up in lavish clothing and loves it even more when people compliment him. He is obsessed with his looks and surrounds himself with people who flatter him. As for the Lord Chancellor, he does not approve of the Emperor’s vanity. He thinks the Emperor puts too much money and effort into his clothing.

2. To manipulate someone is to influence or control them, often unfairly or dishonestly, and usually to your own advantage. How are the tailors able to manipulate the Emperor into hiring them? (character) The tailors are able to manipulate the Emperor through a combination of flattery and the promise of superiority. They prey on the Emperor’s vanity by praising and complimenting him. The idea of clothes that are of the finest quality and available to only an elite group appeals to the Emperor. But it is the promise of being able to identify fools that seals the deal for the Emperor; he thinks he will have a way of confirming his superior intelligence.

3. In Scene 5, why does Tailor 2 smirk when he says, “Well said, my friend”? (inference, tone) Tailor 2 smirks because he knows that his plan is working. He sees that the Royal Dresser is afraid to speak up, which suggests that others will be afraid to speak up as well. The tailor is also laughing, in a mean way, at the Royal Dresser’s choice of words. The Royal Dresser has just said that the new clothes will “exceed His Majesty’s wildest expectations,” and this is true: Surely the Emperor does not expect that he will not be able to see his new clothes.

4. In Scene 6, why does a horrified look cross the Emperor’s face? (inference) A horrified look crosses the Emperor’s face as he realizes that he cannot see the clothes the tailors made—which, he believes, means that he is a fool, as the tailors said fools would not be able to see the clothing. The Emperor’s fear of being exposed as a fool horrifies him.

5. Why doesn’t anyone speak up about the fact that they don’t see the Emperor’s new clothes until after the child says, “The Emperor has no clothes!” at the end of the play? What lessons can be learned from this story? (critical thinking, theme) No one speaks up because everyone is afraid of what might happen if they do. The Emperor’s inner circle is afraid of being fired if they criticize the tailors or the Emperor. Plus, no one wants to be thought of as a fool, so no one wants to admit that they can’t see the clothes; each person thinks everyone else can see the clothes because no one is telling the truth! No one trusts themselves to say what their own eyes are telling them. This story teaches a lesson about how important it is to speak up. It also identifies the danger of leaders surrounding themselves with “yes-men,” or people who say only what the leader wants to hear. Additionally, the story cautions against the human tendency to go along with popular opinion and explores our fear of being different.

Come back together as a class to read the informational text “How to Speak Up.” Then discuss the following question:

6. Based on the informational text “How to Speak Up,” what factors can make it difficult to speak up? Why is it important to do so anyway? (key ideas) According to the informational text, emotions can make it difficult to speak up—feeling nervous or upset can stop people from speaking up. A lack of confidence or a fear of being wrong can also get in the way. In some situations, speaking up may seem unsafe; in these situations, you should find a person who can safely speak up on your behalf. Speaking up is important because it can help bring about positive changes, solve problems, and help both you and others improve.

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Synthesis. This activity will prepare them to respond to the writing prompt on page 29 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Write a scene in which one of the Royal Dressers admits to a friend that they cannot see the clothes the tailors are working on. The Royal Dresser should explain why they are afraid to speak up, and the friend should try to persuade the Royal Dresser to do so anyway, using ideas from “How to Speak Up.”

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.